BOON tidings to der Breitmann came <br />Ash he at table end, <br />Dere's right goot fisch at Blankenberghe, <br />Und oysters in Ostend. <br />Denn to Ostland ve will reiten gaen, <br />To Ostland o'er de sand, <br />Dou und I mit pridle drawn <br />For dere ish de oyster land. <br /> <br />Und vhen dey shtood bei Ostersee, <br />Vhere de waters roar like sin, <br />Dere coom five hundert fischer volk <br />To dake der Breitmann in. <br />'Gotts doonder! Should ve doomple down <br />Amoong de waters plue, <br />I kess you'd vant more help from me <br />Dan I should vant from you! <br /> <br />'If you hat peen vhere I hafe peen <br />Und see vot I hafe see, <br />Vhere de surf rise oop nine tausend feet, <br />In de land of Nieuw Jarsie <br />Und schwimmed dat surf ash I hafe schwimmed, <br />Peside de Jersey stran''- <br />From dat day fort' de Ostland men <br />Shdeered glear of der Breitemann. <br /> <br />Boot von ding set him schvearin so, <br />I dinked he'd nefer cease, <br />De Ostend oysters kostet more <br />In Ostend als Paris. <br />Hans asked an anciendt fisherman, <br />To 'splain dis if he may, <br />Und says he, 'Mijn Heer - dey're beter hier <br />Als ein hundert leagues afay. <br /> <br />'Und as de oysters beter hier <br />Of course dey kostet more'- <br />Der Breitmann dook his bilcrim shdaff, <br />Und toorned him to de toor. <br />Says Hans, 'De Vlaemsche fischermen <br />Can sheat de vorldt I pet <br />Dey sheaten von anoder too, <br />All's fisch to a Dutchman's net. <br /> <br />'Der king peginned a palace hier, <br />De palace hat to shtop, <br />He foundt de beoples sheaten so <br />He gife de bildin oop. <br />Aldough das Leben hier ish goot, <br />Ad least Ostend-sibly'- <br />So shpoke der Breitemann und cut <br />Dat city py de sea.<br /><br />Charles Godfrey Leland<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/breitmann-in-belgium-ostende/
